viewpoints » S end letters to: letters@thejewishnews.com Ask Attorney Ken Gross about... for openers Your Your Legal Financial Issues Issues The Long And Short Of It S ome comic aficionados remember “Mutt and Jeff;” they represented the long and short of it. Some music buffs may recall “Long, Tall Sally.” Aspiring marathon- ers know the immediacy of shortness of breath. And so, we find the omnipresent and mul- Sy Manello tifaceted uses of long and short Editorial Assistant in our everyday talk. If you are subject to illness, then you may desire the effectiveness of long- acting medicines. You hope, therefore, that your malaise will be short and sweet rather than long and drawn out. If you are engaged by Game of Thrones and stories of that ilk, then you recognize one weapon of choice as the longbow. The big chal- lenge in its use was not to have the missile fall short of its target. Nor would you wish to have your supply of arrows run short. Never having been a good math student, I detested long division. Every effort was made to make short work of that homework. When I could not, I tended to pull a long face, admit my shortcoming and struggle as best I could. Back then, I was not a long hair (intellectual); nor am I today, being “follicle-ly” challenged. I have learned that a suggested shortcut while I’m driving will prove frustrating to me and may set my short fuse alight. Are you among those who are mourning the passing of personal letters? Few young people today know how to write in longhand; cursive writing is not even taught anymore so it is no wonder that young folks can’t read it. I have been corrected on a reference I have been wont to use on occasion: “old friend.” It seems that it is more PC to refer to the person as a friend of longstanding. Considering that my long-term memory is a bit more certain, such acquaintances must be long suffering and not give in to the temptation to cut me short as I reminisce. They must wish sometimes that I would experience a short circuit rather than continue to be so long winded. Though when it comes to puns and jokes, I never seem to run short. That is when they may long for the short of it. Do You need a POA for Your College Student? * nostalgia The Problem With ‘No Problem’ C an’t remember exactly at the cookie, I tried to decide if when it happened. Maybe I should eat it then and there or shortly after I learned start a collection in one of the used to flush the toilet. Maybe shortly Hudson’s gift boxes we had in our after I learned to tie my shoelaces. house. Mother’s sudden presence Not sure. at my side interrupted my delib- Not sure when it happened, but erations. I’m quite sure I remember where. “What do you say?” At Leshman’s Bakery on Dexter “Oh. Thank you.” It was what I’d Norman Prady between Webb and Tuxedo. What recently learned I should say. happened? I learned about please And with a pat on the head and thank you. Oh, and you’re welcome. from the bakery lady, as if the queen were I’d been standing in front of a glass case dubbing me “Sir Child,” I said thank you containing several million cookies sorted by and turned to see my mother’s smile, then type onto dull silver trays. Which hundred quickly gave my attention back to the cook- of them would I choose? The bakery lady ie, hoping that its chocolate coating had not came to the side of the case and spoke to melted. Then, affirmation came from the me in magic. bakery lady, “Would you like a cookie?” “Oh, you’re welcome, sweetheart.” The “yes” got caught in the back of my Her “You’re welcome” came to me like excited throat, but I finally got it out. As she the soaring crescendo of Rhapsody in stepped back behind the case and slid the Blue, affirming my position as a deserving door open I wondered if she’d pick up one citizen. It was the burst of fireworks cel- of my favorites. But the odds were with me. ebrating my soul with confirmation of my They all were my favorites. entitlement to the blessings of liberty. It was As she walked toward me, my hand reassurance of my being deserving. instinctively lunged forward for placement But time has passed and taken with it the there of a small boy’s prize equal to the significance of one person doing something Hope Diamond or a pet turtle. Looking for another. No longer am I a worthy citi- zen, now I’m no more than not an annoy- ance, not an interruption in someone’s life or activities. “Thank you for helping me change my flat tire,” I tell the stranger who stopped near my disabled car. But instead of being told that I’m wel- come, I hear that I didn’t interfere with his agenda. “No problem,” he says, instantly dismissing me as a human being who needed something, reducing me to nothing more than non-interruptive status in his own life. I don’t want to hear that I didn’t inconve- nience him. I want to hear that he saw my need and was pleased that he could come to my aid. I don’t want to hear that whatever he did was easy for him to do, I want to hear that regardless of the task’s difficulty he was pleased that he could help me. I don’t want to hear that helping me with my problem didn’t make a problem for him. Some might say that the difference I see between “Thank you” and “No problem” is nothing more than trivial semantics. Is that the difference between “I love you” and “I don’t hate you”? Maybe think about it. As long as it’s no problem for you. The kids are entering and returning to the college campuses. An often overlooked but important health/ safety device is the need for a college student to have a valid Health Care Power of Attorney and Durable Power of Attorney appointing a parent as his or her authorized agent. The documents are important if your child is in an accident or suffers a serious illness – and even more so if it is occurring away at school. The documents are easy to prepare – but too often, this is overlooked. Similarly, a surprising high percentage of adults with minor and grown children – don’t have an up to date Estate Plan. Without a guardianship designation in your will, if both parents should perish, the decision to raise your minor children is left to the Probate Court. As fall approaches – it’s time to take inventory of those things you have allowed to slip by – and to correct them. If you have yet to address these issues – Call us. Estate Plans are affordable and essential to proper planning. Be sure to mention the Jewish News when you call for a special discount! THAV GROSS has been solving problems since 1982. Be sure to tune in to Law and Reality – Sunday mornings at 11 AM on TV20. * Norman Prady, 82, is a journalist and author living in Berkley. thavgross.com ‡ lawandreality.com 30150 Telegraph, Suite 444 Bingham Farms, MI 48025 September 8 • 2016 5